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267:. A production unit of 20 sailed from Sydney in September 1936, taking £10,000 worth of equipment. Shooting went for a month and was marked by a number of difficulties, including constant rain, poor sound, and the loss of 2,000 feet (610 m) of exposed film which had to be reshot.
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Two women and eight men are shipwrecked on a South
Pacific island. There is a murderer amongst them. Only the murderer and the ship's captain know his identity but the captain has lost his memory.
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Brian Abbot's (real name George Rikard Bell) widow later sued his life assurance company for £1000, the amount payable on his death but refused by the company. The insurers' defence, led by
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and Leslie Hay-Simpson elected to stay on the island for a few weeks after filming, intending to sail back to the mainland together in a 16-foot (4.9 m) open boat, called the
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The unit returned to Sydney on 6 October. The shipwreck scene was completed in the studio of
Commonwealth Film Laboratories in Sydney, being staged with models.
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They left for Sydney on 6 October 1936 expecting to take 10–14 days. By 14 October a search had been launched. They were never heard of again.
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The film was released as a supporting feature. Reviews praised the scenery but were less fulsome about its dramatic qualities.
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The female lead, Jean
Laidley (real name Jean Mort), had experience in amateur theatre. She was a great-granddaughter of
330:, KC, pointed out that the trip was a risky endeavor not disclosed to the insurers. The case was settled out of court.
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127:
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The movie was mostly funded by Jack Bruce, who was the managing director of
Commonwealth Film Laboratories.
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292:, who claimed the credit (or took the blame). The screenplay was written by Harry Lauder, a nephew of
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204:. It is best remembered for the mysterious disappearance of two of its cast after filming completed.
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810:. National Library of Australia. 13 March 1937. p. 54 Supplement: The Movie World
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650:: National Library of Australia. 6 October 1936. p. 8 Edition: FINAL
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553:. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 14 July 1936. p. 16
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It was shot almost entirely on one of the
Admiralty Inlets near
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is a 1937 Australian film shot almost entirely on location near
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Article written by Abbot on the island shortly before his death
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836:. National Library of Australia. 18 September 1937. p. 12
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Early newspaper reports that the film was based on a story by
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580:
Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to
Feature Film Production
730:. National Library of Australia. 13 October 1936. p. 11
704:. National Library of Australia. 14 October 1936. p. 15
385:. National Library of Australia. 11 February 1937. p. 4
756:. National Library of Australia. 19 October 1936. p. 9
501:. National Library of Australia. 7 October 1936. p. 14
678:. National Library of Australia. 8 October 1936. p. 8
475:. National Library of Australia. 7 October 1936. p. 7
288:(died 18 April 1949), an employee of Sydney radio station
449:: National Library of Australia. 15 July 1936. p. 13
357:. National Library of Australia. 6 March 1937. p. 11
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782:. National Library of Australia. 8 March 1937. p. 4
527:. National Library of Australia. 14 July 1936. p. 5
284:were scotched by his less famous brother, Captain
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626:– via National Library of Australia.
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242:Desmond Hay (Leslie Hay-Simpson) as Packer
29:
233:William Carroll as Chief Officer Vowels
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618:, Australia. 15 July 1936. p. 6
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59:story by Captain T. D. Bairnsfather
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914:Australian black-and-white films
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230:W. Lane-Bayliff as Captain Druce
227:Jean Laidley as Audrey Challoner
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638:"ACTORS PLAN RISKY LAUNCH TRIP"
630:
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296:, the great Scottish comedian.
245:Mollie Kerwin as Miss Fortescue
724:"OCEAN VENTURE IN MOTOR SKIFF"
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128:Commonwealth Film Laboratories
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807:The Australian Women's Weekly
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236:George Doran as Reverend Abel
909:1930s English-language films
610:. Vol. I, no. 99.
547:"ALL-Australian Island Film"
405:"ALL-AUSTRALIAN ISLAND FILM"
318:
7:
248:Moncrieff Macallum as Green
10:
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417:. 14 July 1936. p. 16
239:Edward Druitt as Seabright
834:The Sydney Morning Herald
780:The Sydney Morning Herald
754:The Sydney Morning Herald
728:The Sydney Morning Herald
702:The Sydney Morning Herald
675:The Sydney Morning Herald
525:The Sydney Morning Herald
499:The Sydney Morning Herald
473:The Sydney Morning Herald
442:Townsville Daily Bulletin
382:The Sydney Morning Herald
355:The Sydney Morning Herald
251:Douglas Mackinnon as Cook
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876:Australian Screen Online
830:"Causes in No. 4 Court"
670:"OCEAN VOYAGE IN SKIFF"
588:Oxford University Press
578:; Cooper, Ross (1998).
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173:56 minutes (Australia)
153:6 March 1937
602:"These Men Make News"
272:Thomas Sutcliffe Mort
18:1937 Australian film
607:The Daily Telegraph
495:""MYSTERY ISLAND.""
437:""MYSTERY ISLAND.""
377:""Mystery Island""
286:T. D. Bairnsfather
282:Bruce Bairnsfather
139:Paramount Pictures
224:as Morris Carthew
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97:George D. Malcolm
68:George D. Malcolm
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310:Mystery Star
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294:Harry Lauder
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169:Running time
146:Release date
85:Jean Laidley
51:Harry Lauder
15:
622:23 February
421:15 December
328:Clive Evatt
306:Brian Abbot
222:Brian Abbot
81:Brian Abbot
64:Produced by
42:J.A. Lipman
38:Directed by
904:1937 films
898:Categories
447:Queensland
334:References
256:Production
157:1937-03-06
120:Production
48:Written by
840:13 August
814:13 August
786:13 August
760:13 August
734:13 August
708:13 August
682:13 August
654:13 August
584:Melbourne
557:13 August
531:13 August
505:13 August
479:13 August
453:13 August
389:13 August
361:13 August
319:Reception
181:Australia
103:Edited by
415:Brisbane
186:Language
114:Rex Shaw
111:Music by
74:Starring
56:Based on
304:Actors
189:English
178:Country
155: (
122:company
612:Sydney
648:Perth
865:IMDb
842:2012
816:2012
788:2012
762:2012
736:2012
710:2012
684:2012
656:2012
624:2019
559:2012
533:2012
507:2012
481:2012
455:2012
423:2011
391:2012
363:2012
216:Cast
208:Plot
874:at
863:at
290:2KY
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